Prime Minister Gillard’s speech yesterday was a triumph for feminism. It was a game-changer. It had me dancing in my car, prancing down the corridors with glee, and fist-pumping in the office whenever the video was played on the news. It had me yelling “Julia Gillard has arrived! This is what leadership looks like, amigos! Our first female Prime Minister has done us proud!
Since taking office, Gillard has been careful and deliberate not to cry sexism. By doing this, her opponents have been able to get away with some appalling behaviour. But yesterday, after Tony Abbott’s gob-smacking and highly provocative use of the Alan-Jones phrase “died of shame”, she let rip.
I watched the full 15 minute speech twice yesterday, and again first thing this morning. I woke up with a smile on my face.
But when I read the news, I felt like I’d seen an entirely different Question Time yesterday.
Either Peter Hartcher’s television is broken, or he dozed off and missed the part where our Prime Minister BROUGHT IT.
Hartcher wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column this morning: “If Gillard won’t defend respect for women, what will she defend? Just another politician indeed.”
And this: “Gillard’s judgment was flawed. All she achieved was a serious loss of credibility.”
WHAT NOW? Defending respect for women is exactly what she did yesterday – with a fiery eloquence I’ve never seen from her before. Her judgment, like any other politician, is often flawed. But not this time. This time, she made a courageous choice to be honest and to be publicly angry, and I will not have any columnist take that away from her. Or from me.
Julia Gillard during question time yesterday
Peter Hartcher says we should have expected more from Gillard. To be honest, I expected less. I haven’t been proud of the Labor party like this in so long. I didn’t see this glorious political smackdown coming at all. Neither did Abbott – just watch his face.
My favourite feminist blog Jezebel called Julia Gillard a “motherfucking badass” and celebrated her speech. Feminist Caitlin Moran tweeted in support.
Buzzfeed have even created this brilliant list of GIFs with the best bits of Gillar’d speech that’s current going viral.
And The New Yorker has also praised her, claiming that Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Julia Gillard.
The Feminist Ladies and Gentlemen of Twitter have united in praise for our PM.
Many are saying this speech will be an iconic one in the history of Australian politics and international feminism.
So why are so many of our local mainstream journalists denying the significance of yesterday’s events? Why have so many of them missed the reason why so many people were impressed?
Yes, PM Gillard’s speech began as an argument against Tony Abbott’s motion to expel Peter Slipper from his position as Speaker. But it turned out to be so much more than that. Anyone who characterizes yesterday’s speech as a defense of Peter Slipper is pitifully mistaken.
It was an erudite, honest speech on the sexism that has repeatedly been levelled against her by her opponents, led by Tony Abbott, with language including “ditch the bitch” and “make an honest woman of her”. To miss that is to completely miss the point.
The Prime Minister’s speech had about as much to do with Peter Slipper as a superb double-twist-summersault dive does a diving board. The Slipper case was nothing but a catalyst for a more important debate. It was, frankly, long overdue.
Yet almost instantaneously, Gillard’s behaviour in parliament was described as “aggressive.”
I prefer words like strong, fiery, resolute, honest, brave, and wonderful.
Dennis Shanahan from The Australian called it “a ferocious personal attack.”
Tony Abbott during question time
I prefer “triple-awesome political smackdown.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said PM Julia Gillard has “let the women of Australia down.”
I think not. I think she’s given us hope, and for that I am so thankful.
Columnists and politicians have warned the Prime Minister that she will rue the day she took Tony Abbott to task.
I, for one, hope she will be eternally proud. I will always, always, remember the day she stood up and spoke out about the incorrigible trend of sexism towards her. And I will be breaking into my Feminist Victory Dance for days, if not weeks, to come.
Comments
538 Comments so far
Julia Rocks as much as Ni-cola rox-on. I really dig that awesome speech. It is about time that women’s rights finally had a voice and in our GREAT PM, women finally have it. As a bloke, I was massively impressed at the passion and articulation of the PM as she was really saying what some of us blokes actually think. Good on your Julia and I look forward to more of the same.
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While you guys are discussing sexism.. I’m sick of sexism in family court.. if a couple splits and the mother isn’t a criminal or a druggie.. the father gets screwed for custody.
want proof… go to any fathers group and ask them.
I’d argue that type of sexism is far more damaging then in the workplace. (or better yet, look it up and compile results.)
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I don’t understand.. didn’t she get caught backing a guy who was just outted as a proven sexist pig and when called on this behaviour she pulled out this speech…
She was in the wrong to back slipper because she knew what he was like before she made him speaker.
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Did you even read the article?
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Did you not know that whilst slamming someone for sexism, Julia stood up for some one who said very sexist comments. It’s double standards and hipocracy.
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Fab article. Totally agree. Minding my 14 year old niece at moment and we were gobsmacked at how Kate Ellis was treated on Q&A. Why doesn’t she tell them to be quiet and let her talk? she kept asking. Hmm, probably doesn’t want to be labelled a harpie, I responded. Gillard’s speech had us cheering in our seats. At last, she says, someone sticks up for themselves. Onya PM. We went around smiling all night long. So great.
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When I heard Julia’s speech I wanted to vomit over all myself! She was not defending respect for woman, if she had of been then she would have motioned for Peter Slipper to be removed as speaker after his disgusting comments about woman! I do not feel inspired or empowered as a woman after listening to her speech, more embarrassed. This is about politics and good policy to lead this country not about gender and whether a woman can give a speech! I will respect a speech by man or woman when the content of it is true and inspiring! I am sick of reading articles about how great it is that a woman can give an emotional speech!
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What is worse?
Peter Slipper: “I think vaginas are kinda gross”
Tony Abbott: “Maybe women just aren’t good at being in positions of power”
Honestly, I don’t think Peter Slipper’s text messages have anything to do with this debate. But even if you do…how in good gracious can you say that Peter Slipper’s comments were disgusting but Tony Abbott’s were all fine and dandy?
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When did Abbott say that?
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Clearly you didn’t listen to the speech! She said that she wants to wait for the court case to come to a conclusion before taking action in parliament, which makes total sense.
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Well said Kate couldn’t agree more! Totally awesome! Mainstream media seem to have missed the point.
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oh how proud i was of her steely resolve, her cadences, her rhythm of destruction of this neanderthal gutter politician who stands for so-called ‘liberal’ in australia.
any person who has experienced some sort of low down persecution by such types can identify with julia gillard, and i know these types myself from school in australia when i was seen in a racist-nationalistic way and exposed to their attempts at victimization.
julia will have run this gauntlet of ill will in the political spectrum for a long long time in this primitive society. and hopefully help propel it forward and out of this mental bog.
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I thought her speech was amazing, I felt that I had a voice for the first time in our political history. I thought the Peter slipper issue was insignificant compared to the deeper more complex sexist issues that have never been dealt with in this country. The Slipper texts were like smutty school yard utterings from naughty boys. The PM has tolerated the daily demeaning rhetoric from Tony Abbot that has aimed at making her look foolish and insignificant. I identified with her experiences as a working female and believe that she has been the voice for exposing that sort of demeaning and arrogant sexism that I think is felt by many Australian women.
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Smackdown speech? I found it highly offensive once she accused Tony Abbott of being a misogynist. You all do know what misnogynist means?
Please Julia when you state you are talking for all the women in Australia, think again, I do not fling unfounded insults at others. Playing the victim is never successful when you resort to such lows.
She lost my vote.
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Could not agree more!
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The meaning of misogynist according to wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misogyny
I recommend you take careful note of the definition by Michael Flood as it pertains directly to your denial. I myself am sick to death of the sexism prevalent in the work place and call it as I see it every time I see it. I am a mother of four, a grandmother of four, a licensed truck driver, a licensed fork lift driver, a retail manager and I am no longer prepared to tolerate fools who should know better. My hero is Mary Lee and I applaud Prime Minister Julia Gillard!
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Everywhere I go, everyone, including guys, are talking about it. Every single person I have spoken to have cheered her on. My 11yr old son was laughing at Abbott and saying ‘She owned him, Mum’ and ‘he had that coming’.
More of it please!
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Love Lever’s piece
For the third day in a row, London Guardian covers Gillard, this time a brief editorial
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/11/julia-gillard-australia-tony-abbott-sexism
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As an Australian living in Germany for many years I haven’t followed the Australian political scene too closely, but having seen Julia Gillard’s speech I feel embarrassed! Not because she has stood up for herself and Australian women, but because such a speech needed to be given by the Australian prime minister. I can’t imagine Angela Merkel ever giving a speech like that. (Yes, I like Angie very much!!) Even in heated political discussions, more respect is shown here. Whatever criticism Frau Merkel may receive, it is NEVER sexist!
Please Australia, don’t elect a sexist and homophobic Tony Abbot as the next prime minister! That would really be embarrassing……though I would love to be a fly on the wall if Tony Abbot was to ever meet Germany’s Foreign minister Guido Westerwelle….an accepted homosexual…..
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It wasnt just one text… It was continuous disgusting texts
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Tony Abbott will be remembered forever internationally as “That guy Julia Gillard crucified”.
And that makes this guy smile.
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I saw it in the opposite way, i saw a woman who has been backed into a corner, does not have the support of the people, does not have support of much of her own party heading for election defeat, lashing out at a man who see has worked with closely for the majority of her career as a means to divert attention away from her own inadequacies.
Combined that with the fact that she peddled falsehoods by mixing in the Alan Jones smear as if it was something that was endorsed by Abbot which it never would be.
Julia Gillard has set back feminism in Australian politics by decades, because our first female PM is ineffective, emotional, irrational, dishonest and classless. It’s almost as if the most sexist man on a planet invented a character for a novel that portrayed every negative female stereotype.
A bigger issue is that Abbot really does have some legitimate issues for which should be criticised, his views are antiquated. But now he doesn’t even have to live with the criticism because he has a bag full of straw men hander to him on a silver platter by Gillard.
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You have precisely demonstrated the prejudice that women are up against when they hold public positions of power and influence, that Julia Gillard’s performance as Prime Minister, whether good or bad, is taken as a reflection of her gender’s ability in politics. There are numerous instances of unsuccessful male politicians whose failures are rightly seen as personal and not as a limitation of their gender. Likewise such men are not chastised for ‘letting down’ their gender. In terms of the speech I think the PM was right to address Abbott’s accusations in the way that she did and I was impressed by the way she delivered her speech with conviction. It is the first time I have ever been convinced that she actually believed in what she was saying and I think the apparent sincerity, emotion and passion she showed has resonated with people as much as the content of the speech. People are sick and tired of the rhetoric, and political spin and have been craving a moment of honest political communication for a long time. Julia Gillard delivered with this speech and I think it has gained her a bit of respect from the public. Unfortunately I don’t think this will change the face of politics in Australia generally but it will serve as a morale booster to women and feminists around the world which I see as a good thing.
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Karen,
You aren’t going to like this, but Adam is correct. She has shown that she is too emotive on this particular subject and cannot control herself. I suggest you look at the next set of polling, and I’m sure that the ALP would have already done this polling, that will show that Julia Gillard’s approval amongst men will have dropped to a new low. She has quite successfully turned men from being tolerant to believing that she’s not up to the job. Just because those men don’t comment on blogs doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Her rantings made her look silly to the average bloke. These blokes vote and she has done feminism a great disservice.
You should remember that it’s not women you have to convince that you are equal, it’s men. (and many men don’t) I’m not a fan of Ms. Gillard, not because she’s a woman, but because I think she’s incompetent and only stands for being in power. On the other hand I’m a big fan of Penny Wong, and I’m a middle aged conservative male. You can vilify me all you like, but you’d be wrong. I’m talking about the average bloke out there who works hard to support his family and isn’t particularly well educated.
Feminism went backwards, and you don’t like hearing that so you’ll happily shoot the messenger.
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Let’s talk facts here. No support of the people? Really? You can speak for every person in Australia? Not backed by her own party? Julia Gillard convincingly beat Kevin Rudd in their leadership battle, 71 votes to 31. The biggest margin in Labor party history.
While JG may have worked with Abbott over a long period of time there are endless examples of his sexism and misogyny and I have personally written him emails complaining about it long before this and have written to Harry Jenkins complaining about the level of sexist comments in parliament and asked for it to stop. So there has been a very real, long term problem here.
Let’s also look at the fact that it was Abbott himself who introduced the ‘die of shame’ statement by using it, quite callously several times in his opening speech. JG merely responded to his statements.
What’s more, your claims that this govt is ineffective is just nonsense. In a hung parliament, the most difficult of parliaments, this govt has passed more legislation in 2yrs than Howard ever did in 11 years.
As for the dishonesty, if you are talking about the so called Carbon Price lie read this and check the date. She said we would have a market based mechanism and guess what, that is what we have despite the continued Abbott claim that she lied.
“I don’t rule out the possibility of legislating a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, a market-based mechanism,” she said of the next parliament. “I rule out a carbon tax.”
We should consider ourselves lucky to have such an intelligent women as our Prime Minister.
Julia Gillard, The Australian, 20/08/2010…
As for your claims about being emotional, irrational and classless, you could only be refering to Abbott’s continued personal attacks on a female Prime Minister.
Your response, Adam, is the typical male response women get when we call out sexist and misogynistic behaviour. Have a look in the mirror.
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Opposition opposes. It always has, and that’s the way it was meant to be. Or, of course, you could have a dictatorship. Which would be fine, if it wasn’t sexist. But you couldn’t guarantee that. So the easiest route is to create an issue that will deflect attention from the way the country is actually being run.
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Um, really? “Create an issue” to “deflect attention from the way the country is actually being run”? Sexism is not a created issue, and if you want to talk about running the country, I think ensuring that half the population is properly respected and will one day earn as much and hold as many positions of power as the other half is a good place to start. Sexism infiltrates so many aspects of life, to flippantly disregard it and say ‘get on with the other stuff’ seems a bit rich. This speech was a breath of fresh air and such a big deal because it has been discussed so LITTLE, especially by the government, until now.
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The other half of the population is very quickly coming to the realisation that JG and much of her front bench hate men! That’s not what I’m looking for in my Labor leader.
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I absolutely saw it the same way!
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Whatever your politics, this was thrilling rhetoric and a brilliant play by the PM. A woman speaking, let alone raging, in public is historically always branded a nut case, or some kind of aberration. Gillard is the leader (yes, she is the leader) and a superb debater, but she STILL gets treated like a nut case. You are not the only one who wil always remember this day! More here if you’re interested: http://wp.me/p2k3hy-By
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I heard two year 9 boys on the train talking about the Gillard speech. I was intrigued by their conversation but not close enough to eaves drop discretely, so I asked what they thought of it. One on the boys replied ‘it was awesome’ I asked him why it was awesome and he said ‘because she covered him in his own crap’. An elegant summation an interesting source.
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I heard two year 9 boys on the train talking about the Gillard speech. Not being close enough to eavesdrop discretely I asked what they thought. One of boys replied that it was ‘awesome’. I asked him why it was awesome and he said ‘because she ‘covered him in his own crap’. An elegant summation from an interesting source.
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COULDNT AGREE MORE. Thank you for saying what I’ve been thinking. Loved it. Don’t always agree with Labor politics but Gillard’s speech was magnificent.
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At the moment, I am beyond frustrated at the many, many comments on this thread that make it abundantly clear that lots of people have not watched the video of the Prime Minister’s speech and/or are not conversant with the actual facts relating to the Slipper/Ashby court case and the parliament’s power to involve themselves in a matter before the judiciary.
I really wish people would find out what they’re actually talking about before they comment. Being informed actually makes you a worthy participant in the debate. Simply repeating the biased tripe that the male-dominated, right-wing press carry on with ad nauseam to score political points just makes you sound silly. Watch the video and you’ll see for yourself.
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Sorry you are so frustrated that some people who watched the video and are conversant with facts relating to the case do not have the same opinion as you. It must be hard being right (or in your case left) all the time.
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Clearly I do lean to the left. I make no secret of it but you wield the fact like it’s some kind of weapon. So you know, calling me a leftie doesn’t insult me, having a social conscience and voting accordingly is something I’m proud of.
That said, you and others who lean to the right are most certainly entitled to your viewpoint. That’s democracy in action and I love it. But if you interpret that speech by Gillard as in any way a defence of Peter Slipper, if you can’t see that Tony Abbott’s words throughout his career (as a matter of public record) suggest that his views in relation to women in power are at best antiquated, and if you expect parliament to make a precedent of sacking someone because he sent a dirty text to a mate, then you are letting your political preferences overrule your common sense.
And do I think I’m right about this? Well, yes I do actually. As a woman in the 21st century I’m entitled to strongly held convictions and the opportunity to express them.
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I really don’t think that to be in opposition requires the permission of the PC idiot crowd.
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Okay. Yeah. Right. Whatever.
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Whilst I’m not suggesting for a minute that TA is lily-white when it comes to womens issues, it irks me no end that he is being repeatedly quoted out of context and even more so that a comment he made in 1979 is brandished as though he said it yesterday.
Please, if you are educating your daughters about feminism make sure you educate them on the unreliabilty of sound bites whie you’re at it.
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I don’t like the sexist comments Tony Abbott has made over the years.
I don’t like the behaviour displayed by Peter Slipper.
I don’t like that Labour is labelling Tony Abbott as a misogynist, because I don’t think he is one. I also don’t THINK he would attempt to create discriminatory, sexist policy if he got into power.
I don’t like that Labour voted to keep Peter Slipper in.
While I don’t like the constant personal attacks and campaigns going on in our federal parliament, I have to admit I DID do a mental fist pump when I heard Julia Gillard’s speech. Unfortunately I simultaneously felt she was manipulating the feminist movement to gain political advantage.
Quite frankly, I think our parliament is a disgrace and that if they can’t focus on policy and bettering our country they should all get lost.
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I completely disagree. It makes no sense for Gillard to accuse Abbott of being a sexist when the very person the debate was about in the first place is a sexist. This brings her integrity into question. How can she get so fired up about Abbott being a sexist and then deny that Slipper was? Political manipulation tactics if you ask me. This type of response is exactly what Gillard and the Labour party would have hoped for. She was using diversion tactics which in some cases seem to have worked. Now some individuals are praising Gillard for such an inspiring speech! I don’t find this inspiring at all. Our first female prime minister has just blatantly displayed she cannot be trusted. How ironic that Gillard accuse Abbott of being a hypocrite when she is exactly that herself. Double standards-you can’t call Abbott sexist and deny Slipper to be the same thing!
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I think this is what is stopping me from celebrating the speech.
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She didn’t deny that what Slipper said was sexist. Please have a look at Hansard or the video of Question Time itself. She did nothing of the sort. AGAIN.
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Tony absolutely castigated a member of his OWN PARTY for political gain. Then the next day he starts to court him for his vote. That’s hypocritical
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After having spent way too much time watching this thread of comments, I have noticed something.
This article, it’s page views, likes, shares, tweets, discussion and and it’s incredible response IS the game changer.
Women who have experienced systematic and repeated sexism, especially in the workplace, have come out and supported Julia’s speech because it’s about time some leadership was taken on this insidious and damaging undertone that still exists in most workplaces across Australia.
A commenter below said feminism is back with a vengeance. Yep it is.
Mia and her team, Caitlan Moran and various other prominent women in the public eye have helped gavlanise what was a fractured movement and reassemble it in to something that *most* women can identify with.
And for those women out there that don’t identify as “feminists” – cool. There are many still willing to fight on your behalf to be treated with the respect and dignity you deserve.
I watched this video this morning and I loved how it explained to me why I have always felt slightly uncomfortable with Hollywood’s portrayal of “feminists”
http://www.upworthy.com/lazy-writing-in-hollywood-has-huge-repercussions-for-womens-rights?c=mrp1
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/08/girls-twitter-feminism-caitlin-moran
I agree with a lot of what you’ve said here, but I think after reading this your views on Caitlin Moran may change a little-I know mine were certainly challenged.
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Thanks for that link, it was very interesting.
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Yes it was interesting, thanks. But Caitlin Moran is just who I wanted her to be, herself.
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Some of the comments in response to this article have absolutely floored me!
I have watched and re-watched Julia Gillard’s impassioned speech four times. As a woman – not as a Labor voter (I’m not), but as a woman it was a moment to celebrate.
I have been appalled by the ugly, slanderous treatment of our PM spported by and propagated by the Opposition leader, his colleagues and many irresponsible, misinformed Australian media personnel (like radio shock-jock, Alan Jones).
Julia Gillard has put up with an almost constant diatribe of hate, often gender-based, and it was refreshing to finally see her hold the Opposition leader to account for his part in it all.
I cannot believe there are women out there who don’t support the stance that Gillard took yesterday. Regardless of your political stance, our PM showed that women will stand up and be counted as equal members of our society. No woman should have to put up with misogyny, sexist comments, catcalls, or archaic views that demean their role in Australian society.
I’m damn proud of our Prime Minister. She is one incredibly tough woman who is doing a great job in the face of a nasty, slanderous campaign to undermine her leadership.
For all of you that disagree, take a look at the speech Anne Summers gave at the University of Newcastle, ‘Her Rights at Work. The Political Persecution of Australia’s First Female Prime Minister’
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I completely disagree. Julia Gillard was attempting to divert attention from the true sexist Peter Slipper onto Tony Abbott. How does defending a sexist man make her a feminist? The columnists are correct about her questionable integrity. It makes no sense for her to defend Peter Slipper, which is what the whole debate was about in the first place. Her fiery approach was also a diversion tactic to draw attention away from the Slipper scandal.
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“How does defending a sexist man make her a feminist?”
Where did she defend a sexist man?
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She did not defend Peter Slipper and his behaviour. You’ll see in the speech she called him out on it, Her vote was defending the principle of the separation of state and legal powers in this country. A very, very important foundation principle for this nation.
Do you want a country that allows the govt to act as judge and jury? Where the govt of the day can eliminate it’s opposition by becoming a defacto court? Well I know I don’t. And if it had have been me I would have voted the same way in order to protect the foundation principles our constitution is built on.
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Squeeeee!
Let’s all applaud the woman who is in her position as the puppet of a bunch of men who wanted to remove Rudd from power! Hurrah!
Standing ovation for the woman who had an affair with a married man!
Hooray for Girl Power!
Rah rah for the sisterhood!
I don’t care for any of our politicians to be quite honest. They’re all a bunch of whiny, crap slinging, point scoring sooks.
But I just read a comment further down from someone saying that after seeing this they were today a better woman and mother for it.
Seriously? Seriously?!
There have been a number of female ALP front benchers who have been sprouting the “misogynist” and “sexist” cards for WEEKS. Every single chance they could get.
The PM’s ‘smackdown’ speech’ was nothing but the finale to an orchestrated campaign. A complete set up.
I don’t give two monkey’s bananas whether our PM is male or female. I just want someone who will do a damn good job – at the moment we don’t have this. And the fact that she (am I allowed to say ‘she’ or is that sexist?) has a vagina has nothing to do with it.
God help our daughters if this performance is what is going to be used as a “you can be whatever you want to be” tool.
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Yes and god help our daughters if sarcasm is the only form of defense women have to use to construct an argument.
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What is it you have a problem with? Our economy going up from 15th to 12th in the world and remaining bouyant?
What has she done so badly in her role as PM?
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I would like for someone to tell me this as well.
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I have heard a lot of “Worst PM ever!” comments but none of them are ever accompanied by anything that even slightly resembles sound critical thinking or reliable facts. What criteria is she being judged on? I’m not a labor supporter but I find myself completely baffled.
“She’s ruining the economy!”. Okay, number one show me the economic data this is being based on and number two show me how it compares to world trends.
“She stabbed Kevin Rudd in the back!”. So, she became PM against everybodies wishes did she? No, the Labor party voted to oust Kevin Rudd. Somebody had to replace him. Also, why is this so different to any other leadership tussle in the history of Australian politics? John Howard had to oust Peacock in 1985 to become Opposition leader. Why is that not framed as back stabbing?
It’s not that I don’t think there are problems with the current government but if you are going to make these claims back them up with facts. If you want a lesson how to do that- SEE THE VIDEO.
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Best quote I read on Twitter, (sorry, wish I could remember who):
“Tony may have bought up three daughters, but Julia Gillard just bought up a generation of them.”
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By calling TA a sexist and misogynist she is now catapulted into the sphere of awesome feminist? What a load of BS. She always plays the sexism card – she brings it up wherever she can. As a woman i hated her speech yesterday, it just made me dislike her even more. She is the biggest liar in Australian politics and is possibly our worst PM ever. Just because she jumps on the TA misogyny bandwagon does not make me think she is a wonderful example of feminism, it makes me think she is a sneaky little opportunist – she will do anything to divert the attention away from the pitiful job she is doing as our nations leader.
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I am so amused to see so many contributors to this forum using female names and then espousing views that are so obviously from the old boy’s club. Transparent would be an understatement. There are certain views (the real women here will not need illustration) which an educated woman would not hold. Claiming to be female and then pushing an unlikely argument is neither clever or helpful.
The same can be said for those claiming to be Labor supporters and then coming from the extreme right with their political view.
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Good Lord, just because some readers have a differing view to you a) does not mean they are blokes masquerading as women and b) doesn’t make them any less educated than you. I can assure that I am very much a woman and a well-educated woman at that.
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Kat, you make a valid point.
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I came across this a few pages earlier in the comments and I just thought it summed things up so well that I had to repost:
“I don’t care how some MP described vaginas in a private text message. However, I do care how the Leader of the Opposition treats women in public on a daily basis.” – Dana
This is totally spot on. For all the people crying “oh, it was a scripted and planned distraction from the REAL issue”, please realise that the real issue IS Tony Abbott’s attitude towards women – not what some douchebag MP said in texts to a mate.
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I agree entirely but just so you know Slipper and Ashby are not mates. Ashby is currently in legal battle with Slipper for sexual harassment.
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Just so you know, Ashby and Slipper were indeed great mates at the time the text messages were written. The sexual harassment claims came after.
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And presumably worker A texting worker B to describe a female colleague as a ‘bitch’ is also OK with you?
Something tells me that you wouldn’t have been quite so tolerant if this was say Tony Abbott or Joe Hockey doing the texting but as long as it’s someone aligned with the left it’s all OK.
This reminds me a bit of the Clinton era when we learned, contrary to everything that feminism had taught us:
- it’s OK for a workplace to be used as a personal harem
- power imbalances in the workplace don’t matter, not even between the most powerful man in the world and a 21 year old intern
- you get ‘one free grope’, it’s only if you do it again that it becomes harrassment
- the default response to rape accustations is to disbelieve them
Obviously the current tawdry spectacle doesn’t rise to this although we have seen the first law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia publicly intervene in a sexual harrassment case to say that it was without merit rather than leaving it to the courts. I suspect when the dust has settled, neither this nor the new standard for acceptable texting about women in politics are going to be seen as major advances in womens’ rights.
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If I want to text my mate telling him that so and so is a bitch then why shouldn’t I? Does being a woman these days make you immune from actually being bitchy(or say a bitch). God help us all
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I don’t agree at all. I have been disappointed in the past about certain media comments that the PM is being made fun of for this or that “because she is a woman”. I grew up watching those rubbery figure shows poking fun of every political figure you could think of. I don’t want the media getting to the point that you can’t be critical of someone or poke fun “because she is a woman”, it is just as sexist in a protectionist fashion.
Yet lately, we’ve had Nicola Roxon on her campaign accusing Tony Abbott of being sexist for a variety of incidents, including apparently turning his back on her (cries of “its because I’m a woman” don’t cut it for me, maybe he just doesn’t want to associate with her because he doesn’t like her or doesn’t get on with her!).
Hearing the PM lash out about sexism from Tony Abbott this week when the context was her failure to act on Peter Slipper’s overtly sexist text messages just didn’t make sense to me, other than fitting with the campaign from Nicola Roxon on labelling Tony Abbott a sexist. When Jezebel in the US jumps on board accepting her comments as a given, and including his views on abortion in the list of his crimes, things have gone too far. I don’t think his views on abortion make him sexist. I believe women need to have the right to choose to continue a pregnancy, I also believe they should be given all the information they can to make that choice and feel confident in their decision without judgement or regret, but I don’t think we can then make the leap that people shouldn’t therefore have the right to voice an opinion in the context of a debate on the issue.
I want a world where the PM is the PM, whether male or female, and we can poke fun of the PM’s policies, cartoonists and satirists can go on exaggerating personal features in good humour, and parliamentary debate focuses on the issues that matter to us.
I don’t dare to dream of a parliament where maturity reigns. I have been a tourist at Parliamentary Question Time during Howard’s Prime Ministership and was appalled at the behaviour of our elected representatives on both side. You don’t see that behaviour in business, you would be suspended from school for behaving like that in a debate, yet here are the men and women representing and running our country behaving like nasty children.
With Labor in Opposition at the time I attended Parliament Question Time, the viewing seats gave us a direct view of the Labor side of the Parliament. Julia Gillard was in the front row, as Deputy and I will never forget, as PM John Howard spoke, she was mouthing and using her hands (opening and shutting quickly) in a “blah blah blah” gesture. I can only assume if Tony Abbott were to do this gesture today while she spoke in Parliament, she would argue it was “because a woman was talking for too long”.
Please! Its not because she’s a woman, its because there is an awful culture of immaturity and a lack of professionalism in a heated environment of debate and disagreement as two sides struggle to be the ones who get to make the decisions! They all need to lift their game. Calling fowl in the name of women just makes me angry as a woman, please don’t drag me and my gender into this!
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For the eleventy millionth time: Julia Gillard didn’t randomly start talking about sexism and misogyny. It was in response to the Opposition making claims about it. Find Julie Bishop’s speech just prior to JG’s. And AGAIN, she condemned the text messages.
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I can’t understand how you’re calling out the behaviour of MPs during question time, and when someone stands up and demands that professionalism you can’t appreciate it!
The PM is a women and has every right to claim that perspective.
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I thought no one was allowed a different perspective?
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”
Please! Its not because she’s a woman, its because there is an awful culture of immaturity and a lack of professionalism in a heated environment of debate and disagreement as two sides struggle to be the ones who get to make the decisions! They all need to lift their game. Calling fowl in the name of women just makes me angry as a woman, please don’t drag me and my gender into this!”
Sorry but can’t resist, it’s “foul” not “fowl” in this context unless I’ve missed something and it’s some obscure reference to chickens!
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Sorry but can’t resist, it’s foul not fowl in this context unless I’m missing some obscure reference to chickens
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Well contrary to what Julie Bishop said, I definitely don’t feel let down!
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How did skinny skinny jeans become popular. its great guys lv to look good in clothes. what started trend
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Ooookay. And, what did you think of Julia Gillard in parliament two days ago?
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And how does this and the comment from DubbluefobVop get through pre-moderation???
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Probably because they’re not offensive, just irrelevant.
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Should i get a replica LV or a real one
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A real one, but go to Paris for it to avoid tax, shipping charges etc (and also, so you can have a lovely holiday). You may need to wait in line, but they’ll monogram it for you and the service is lovely.
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Don’t worry, the PM is damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. Her smackdown of Tony Abbott would have pleased many but would have upset Liberal supporters who are just out to criticize everything she says and does.
Abbott deserved it, it has drawn attention to him in such a negative way and he attracted it to himself with his awful behaviour.
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She is awesome! I really admire the way she communicates when she’s under pressure, always so articulate and logical in her responses and in her speeches.
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Bradley, you say:-”Asking a question of and disagreeing with a woman will be painted as sexist and misogynist from here to eternity.
There is nothing of value in this statement..
Ms Gillard referred specifically to Tony Abbot’s behaviour and attitude in condoning / supporting the expressions, ‘witch’, bitch’ ‘Bob Brown’s bitch’ the remark about her unmarried state, (‘honest woman’ etc) women’s unsuitability
for positions of power.
It is Tony Abbot’s direct, insulting, offensive attacks and personal venom that have been at issue for two years and it is these, Bradley, which the PM has finally addressed.
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I say hurrah!! I shed tears of joy when we had our first female PM, yes there was coup but hey that’s politics. I hate the fact she had to make this speech. That she had to respond to all the bullocks and as with so many bullies when you call them on their bad behaviour they profess they ‘ didn’t mean like that’ or ‘gees have a sense of humour, I was only kidding’ Enough is enough I loved this speech and I loved the way she delivered it.
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Amazing . Here here , this article is my sentiments exactly .
WOW .
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I’ve just finished my ironing. I’m about to start my second load (ironing on transfers that say WWJGD) Inspired.
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I thought that the speech was a breathe of realistic fresh air, and for hours after it I kept pushing the refresh button on the newspaper websites waiting for them to grab hold of it and applaud it the way I did at home. But it didn’t happen. I have been and still am so disappointed that the Gillard government wont stand tall on gay marriage and are sending the worlds neediest to Nauru, but this speech put some fire back in my Labor belly So thank you for the article (and the majority of comments). It is great to know that the way I feel is not alone.
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To give the PM her dues….she has never cried out sexism and misogyny since taking office.
The accolytes have done it on her behalf.
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And never fear, Bradley, the sexists will never run out of apologists either.
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‘every day, in every way, Tony Abbott is about sexism and misogyny’.
Tell me that isnt a ridiculous overstatement. I mean, come on.
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Well spoken – she really did BRING IT!. Loved the use of the quote re abortion & reference to housewives ironing – Tony Abbott clearly has a low opinion of women. Always great to see a woman stand up for herself in such an articulate manner and with such strength of character. Regardless of any political motive being mentioned I respect her immensely for this speech.
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Am i the only person on the planet who hasnt seen it? (and doesnt really care too?)
This site is becoming too political for me!!
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You cared enough to comment, princesstan. If you find this site too political then, well, no-one is forcing you to read posts, let alone add to them.
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I totally agree with this article, I found our PM’s speech to be masterful and at last she took the opposition leader to task about his disgraceful behaviour. The tone set in parliament by the opposition appals me, I was disgusted by Abbott’s use of the same term as in the disgusting comment made by Alan Jones. It is about time Australians especially women make it clear that this is just not on.
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What disgraceful behaviour?
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Have you read any of the comments below? Or the article above? Or watched JG’s speech?
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